Excellence of Attending Halaqahs (Islamic Gatherings)

Allah's Messenger (S) said: "There is a group of angels who patrol the earth and wherever they find any gathering that remembers Allah, they call out to each other and form a circle around this gathering that reaches to the sky. When this gathering disperses, they return to the sky where they are questioned by Allah, although He is All

-knowing: "Where have you come from?"
They reply: "We come from a gathering of Your servants who are engaged in Tasbeeh, Takbeer and Tahmeed."
Allah asks them: "Have they seen Me?"
The angels reply: "No."
Allah asks: "And what if they had seen Me?"
They reply: "Then they would have engaged even more excessively in Your Ibaadah and in Tasbeeh (glorifying of) You."
Allah says: "What are they asking for?"
They reply: "They ask for Jannah."
Allah then asks: "Have they seen Jannah?"
The angels reply: "No."
Allah asks: "And what if they had seen Jannah?"
They reply: "Then they would have been even more desirous, eager and keen for it." Allah says: "What are they seeking refuge from?"
They reply: "They ask refuge from the Fire (of Hell)."
Allah asks: "Have they seen the Fire?"
The angels reply: "No."
Allah asks: "And what if they had seen it?"
They reply: "Then they would have tried harder to escape from it and they would have been more fearful of it."
Allah says: "I make you witness that I have pardoned them."
One angel exclaims: "A certain person was not from them. He came (coincidentally) for some work."
Allah says: "They are such a people that even those who sit with them (for other work) will not be deprived."

(Reported by Bukhari, Muslim)